NEWS PHOTO JAMES TUBB
Medicine Hat High Hawks starting pitcher Cade Harrison flips the ball to first base for an out in the Hawks 18-8 win over the McCoy Colts on Thursday at Athletic Park.
jtubb@medicinehatnews.com@ReporterTubb
The Medicine Hat HIgh Hawks senior baseball team maintained their perfect record against a familiar foe Thursday.
The Hawks beat the McCoy Colts 18-8 at Athletic Park, a rematch of the Alberta Premier Baseball League finals from last season, also a Hawks victory.
Hat High head coach Cam Rittinger enjoyed the win but wanted more consistency out of his team.
“We did really well with the bats, we were putting bat on the ball hitting line drives, hitting some gaps, scoring some runs but we definitely need some work on the defence,” Rittinger said. “We got comfortable with a little bit of a lead and started to give up some runs and we started throwing the ball around a little bit when we should be collecting outs. So although it was a good outing and a good result, we definitely have some work to do this week.”
The Hawks led 11-1 heading into the bottom of the fourth inning before allowing six runs from the Colts to cut the lead to 11-7. Colts head coach Cole Schreiber says they will highlight that inning as something to build off heading into practice and their next games.
“It’s a good team over there for sure, they swung the bats real well, capitalized on some of our mistakes, but I think our guys showed a lot of grit,” Schreiber said. “At one point being down 11-1 and then we went out and put up a six spot and kind of scared them a little bit. But then they grabbed it again. Anytime you have a young group like us, to show that compete and not quit when we’re down like that, that’s pretty important and it shows what we’re capable of moving forward.”
Cade Harrison started on the mound for the Hawks, throwing 3.1 innings with five strikeouts. Parker Hunt came out of the bullpen and notched three punch outs in 2.1 innings pitched before Koby Eskestrand came into the game and recorded the final out.
Across the diamond, Cole Carlson had the start for McCoy and worked 2.2 innings with a strikeout. JJ Harnett came in relief and recorded a strikeout before Jack Hackett pitched himself an inning with two strikeouts. Tate Bowal and Beck Boiteau combined for the final two innings with one strikeout.
“Our young guys threw strikes, Cole Carlson on the mound was good, he gave up the one home to Ryler Straarup who iss a heck of a player, that guy is going to play the game for a long time if he wants to,” Schreiber said. “One blemish for Cole really, but I think everybody just competed today. Lots of grit all around from all our guys in that never-say-die attitude will be the big positive tonight.”
Straarup led the Hawks offence with his third inning grand slam, giving him two hits, three runs scored and four RBIs on the night. Jeff Bullock also added four RBIs in a four-hit night for Hat High, crossing the plate four times as well.
“Just tip my cap to Ryler there with the grand slam,” Rittinger said. “When the game was close, we were only up two runs and for us to kind of put them on their heels like that was a big one for us.”
Kayne Olinski led the Colts with two hits and an RBI, Tate Bowal also had two hits.
